Our invention relates to a process for producing one or more tastands including one or more natural food additives comprising the sequential steps of:
(i) providing a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves), macerates thereof or a mixture of Saccharum officinarum leaves and macerates thereof; and PA1 (ii) carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on said plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerates thereof or mixture of leaves and macerates thereof; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,351 issued on Feb. 9, 1971; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,679 issued on May 16, 1972; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,082 issued on May 9, 1972; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 643,891 issued on Feb. 20, 1900, PA1 (i) providing a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves), macerates thereof or a mixture of Saccharum officinarum leaves and macerates thereof; and PA1 (ii) carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on said plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerates thereof or mixture of leaves and macerates thereof; PA1 (i) providing a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves), macerates thereof or a mixture of Saccharum officinarum leaves and macerates thereof; and PA1 (ii) carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on said plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerates thereof or mixture of leaves and macerates thereof; PA1 PRODUCTION OF SUGAR CANE, 1972 by F. LeGrand; and SUGARCANE CROP LOGGING AND CROP CONTROL: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES, 1980 by Harry F. Clements. PA1 (a) effecting pressurization of said leaves, macerates thereof or mixture of leaves and macerates thereof using a hydraulic press such as a screw press, thereby separating liquid leaf extract from pressed cake; and PA1 (b) separating said tastand including natural food additive from said extract by means of a second unit operation such as fractional distillation and/or high-pressure solvent extraction (using, for example, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane) and/or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and/or pervaporation. PA1 (a) an inlet pressure in the range of from about 0.5 up to about 30 psig; PA1 (b) an outlet pressure in the range of from about zero up to about 400 mm/Hg; PA1 (c) a pressure drop across the membrane in the range of from 11,100 up to about 34,000 mm/Hg; PA1 (d) an inlet pressure in the range of from about 40.degree. C. up to about 90.degree. C.; PA1 (e) an outlet pressure in the range of from about -320.degree. C. up to about +20.degree. C.; PA1 (f) a temperature change across the membrane in the range of from about 20.degree. C. up to about 410.degree. C.; and PA1 (g) a mass throughput in the range of from about 2 up to about 20 gallons/hour-foot.sup.2. PA1 (.alpha.) first partially condensing the gaseous phase and removing water, whereby the gaseous phase is converted to a liquid water phase; and then PA1 (.beta.) condensing the essence portion of the gaseous phase, whereby a condensed essence in the liquid phase is formed. PA1 (i) harvesting a plurality of Saccharum officinarum stalks which a bear a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves; PA1 (ii) removing a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves from said stalks which may or may not include that part of the stalk above the terminal node, which stalks bear a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves; PA1 (iii) removing a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves from said stalks thereby providing to a plurality of leaves, and this may include that part of the stalk above the terminal node; PA1 (iv) macerating at least a finite portion of said leaves (including or not including that part of the stalk above the terminal node) to produce a leaf composition comprising macerated Saccharum officinarum leaves; PA1 (v) either (.alpha.) placing said leaf composition in intimate contact with an aqueous vapor over a prolonged period of time in order to form an aqueous vapor-tastand or food additive composition in the vapor phase; or (.beta.) applying pressure to said leaf composition in order to form an aqueous tastand or food additive composition; PA1 (vi) in the case of forming the aqueous vapor-tastand or food additive composition in the vapor phase, condensing the vapor phase aqueous vapor-tastand or food additive composition whereby a liquid phase aqueous tastand or food additive composition is formed; and PA1 (vii) carrying out physical separation unit operations on said liquid phase aqueous tastand or food additive compositions whereby said natural tastand or food additive compositions are formed. PA1 (a) the physical properties of the fluid in the Saccharum officinarum leaves fed into the press, e.g., viscosity, density and temperature; PA1 (b) the internal press pressure; PA1 (c) the residence time of the Saccharum officinarum leaves in the press; PA1 (d) the kinematic viscosity of the fluid within the press at press temperature; PA1 (e) the degree of maturity of the Saccharum officinarum leaves fed into the press; and PA1 (f) the feed rate of the Saccharum officinarum leaves into the press PA1 (i) harvesting means for harvesting a plurality of sugarcane stalks which bear a plurality of cane stalk leaves; PA1 (ii) first conveying means for conveying said plurality of sugarcane stalks to leaf removal means; PA1 (iii) leaf removal means proximate said first conveying means for removing a plurality of leaves from said sugarcane stalks in order to provide a plurality of cane stalk leaves; PA1 (iv) second conveying means for conveying said cane stalk leaves to macerating means; PA1 (v) macerating means for macerating at least a finite portion of said cane stalk leaves in order to produce a composition comprising macerated cane stalk leaves; PA1 (vi) third conveying means for conveying said macerated cane stalk leaves to extraction means; PA1 (vii) extraction means for causing the cane stalk leaves, including macerated cane stalk leaves, to be in intimate contact with an aqueous vapor (such as steam) over a prolonged period of time in order to form an aqueous vapor-tastand or food additive composition in the vapor phase; PA1 (viii) vapor condensing means for condensing said vapor phase aqueous vapor-tastand or food additive composition whereby a liquid phase aqueous food additive composition is formed (for example, steam distillate condensate); and PA1 (ix) physical separation means for carrying out a physical separation unit operation on said liquid phase aqueous tastand or food additive composition whereby said natural tastand or food additive composition is isolated. PA1 (a) activated charcoal; PA1 (b) resin; or PA1 (c) zeolites. PA1 (i) harvesting means for harvesting a plurality of sugarcane stalks which bear a plurality of cane stalk leaves; PA1 (ii) leaf stripping means for removing a plurality of leaves from said harvested sugarcane stalks immediately after harvesting whereby a plurality of cane stalk leaves is provided; PA1 (iii) first conveying means for conveying said plurality of cane stalk leaves to macerating means; PA1 (iv) proximate said first conveying means, macerating means for macerating at least a finite portion of said cane stalk leaves to produce a composition comprising macerated cane stalk leaves PA1 (v) second conveying means for conveying cane stalk leaves and macerated cane stalk leaves to hydraulic pressurization means; PA1 (vi) proximate said second conveying means, hydraulic pressurization means for applying from about 2,000 up to about 5,000 psig pressure to said cane stalk leaves including macerated cane stalk leaves over a period of time in order to separate an aqueous tastand or food additive composition from the cane suger leaves including macerated cane sugar leaves; PA1 (vii) physical separation means for carrying out a physical separation unit operation on said tastand or food additive composition whereby said natural tastand or food additive composition is formed. PA1 (a) activated charcoal; PA1 (b) resin; or PA1 (c) zeolites. PA1 damascenone having the structure: ##STR10## .beta.-damascone having the structure: ##STR11## .beta.-homocyclocitral having the structure: ##STR12## cis-3-hexenol having the structure: ##STR13## 1-octen-3-ol having the structure: ##STR14## .beta.-phenylethyl alcohol having the structure: ##STR15## 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol having the structure: ##STR16## acetophenone having the structure: ##STR17## 2,2,6-trimethyl cyclohexanone having the structure: ##STR18## d-borneol having the structure: ##STR19## PA1 (1) that they be non-reactive with the products produced according to the processes, supra, prior to final purification; PA1 (2) that they be non-reactive with the damascenone:alcohol compositions defined, supra; or the .beta.-homocyclocitral:oxo compound compositions defined, supra; or the cis-3-hexenol:oxo compound compositions defined, supra; PA1 (3) that they be organoleptically compatible with the products produced according to the processes described, supra; as well as the damascenone:alcohol compositions defined, supra; and the .beta.-homocyclocitral:oxo compound compositions defined, supra; as well as the cis-3-hexenol:oxo compound compositions defined, supra, whereby the flavor of the ultimate consumable material to which these tastands are added are not detrimentally affected by the use of the adjuvant; and PA1 (4) that they be ingestibly acceptable and thus non-toxic or otherwise deleterious. PA1 anise oil; PA1 ethyl-2-methyl butyrate; PA1 vanillin; PA1 butyl valerate; PA1 2,3-diethyl pyrazine; PA1 methyl cyclopentenolone; PA1 benzaldehyde; PA1 valerian oil; PA1 3,4-dimethoxyphenol; PA1 amyl acetate; PA1 amyl cinnamate; PA1 .gamma.-butyrl lactone; PA1 furfural trimethyl pyrazine; PA1 phenyl acetic acid; PA1 isovaleraldehyde; PA1 maltol; PA1 ethyl maltol; PA1 ethyl vanillin; PA1 ethyl valerate; PA1 ethyl butyrate; PA1 cocoa extract; PA1 coffee extract; PA1 peppermint oil; PA1 spearmint oil; PA1 clove oil; PA1 anethol; PA1 cardamom oil; PA1 wintergreen oil; PA1 cinnamic aldehyde; PA1 ethyl-2-methyl valerate; PA1 .gamma.-hexenyl lactone; PA1 2,4-decadienal; PA1 2,4-heptadienal; and PA1 butylidene phthalide.
whereby a natural tastand or food additive is separated and isolated from the remainder of said plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof. The physical separation unit operations include but are not limited to steam distillation; high pressure extraction, for example, using one or more screw presses; pervaporation; extraction using an extraction column such as a charcoal extraction column; standard fractional distillation, batch or continuous; high pressure, volatile solvent extraction; and super critical carbon dioxide extraction.
Foodstuffs, chewing gums and beverages, which are sweetened with sweeteners other than natural sugars or which contain sodium chloride replacers, for example foodstuffs, chewing gums and beverages which contain potassium chloride and/or L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine ethyl ester have been made the subject of intensive research efforts whereby the bitter or metallic taste of the eatable is covered or "improved." Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,788 assigned to Bioresearch, Incorporated discloses a composition comprising (a) an eatable having a bitter and/or metallic taste and (b) at least one tastand selected from L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine, L-aspartyl-L-tyrosine and their salts in a substantially tasteless amount of 0.0000001-300 weight percent based on the weight of the eatable. U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,788 indicates that the eatable is bitter tasting potassium chloride, an amino acid, a peptide, a polypeptide, or a protein or N-1-.alpha.-aspartyl-1-phenylalanine ethyl ester. It is further indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,788 that the eatable is any ingested material taken by humans, animals and the like and may be a foodstuff, non-calorie food component (e.g., flavoring or medicine including bitter chocolate or a drug such as ibuprofen). The tastand is indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,788 to be incorporated in or ingested with an eatable and can prevent bitter components from interacting with the mammalian taste receptor. Use of the tastand is indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,788 to allow reformulation for low-calorie or low-sodium foods.
From a reading of such documents as U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,788, it has become apparent that there exists a need to provide improvement of bitter or metallic taste of such eatables containing such materials as potassium chloride and L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine ethyl ester using natural substances.
Nothing in the prior art and nothing known in commerce has implicitly or explicitly yielded the information that Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerated and/or non-macerated are a source of such improvement.
The prior art techniques for processing sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and analyzing sugarcane products include the processing of Saccharum officinarum leaves along with the sugarcane where the Saccharum officinarum leaves are intended to be primarily discarded.
Thus, in Proceedings of the 1978 Technical Session on Cane Sugar Refining Research, Sep. 17-19, 1978, Washington, D.C., published by the Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Godshall, et al published a paper entitled "THE IDENTIFICATION OF VOLATILE CONSTITUENTS IN SUGARCANE AND CANE SUGAR PRODUCTS" at pages 46-67. Godshall, et al identified the volatiles eluted from Saccharum officinarum leaves, including 3-hexen-1-ol and dimethyl sulfide and also hypothesized several pathways by which the dimethyl sulfide formation can occur. In Table 1 on page 48 of Godshall, et al, a partial list of constituents previously identified in molasses that contribute to aroma and flavor is set forth. Table 2 of the Godshall, et al paper (set forth at page 53) shows the volatile constituents identified in molasses. Table 3 on page 56 of Godshall, et al sets forth the volatile constituents identified in cane leaves, to wit: acetaldehyde, ethanol, acetonitrile, 2-propanol, acetone, dimethyl sulfide, 3-hexen-1-ol, 2,4-hexadienal, 1-hexen-3-ol and 2,4-heptadienal. A GLC profile is set forth for volatiles eluted from Saccharum officinarum leaves on page 58 of Godshall, et al.
Similarly, in Chapter 2 of the text Cane Sugar Handbook, a manual for cane sugar manufacturers and their chemists, Tenth Edition, published by John Wiley & Sons, Meade and Chen, 1977, it is indicated in Section 2.1 at page 15 (Chapter 2, Irvine, "Composition of Cane and Juice"):
"2.1 Trash and Cane. When cane is cut and cleaned by hand, and delivered fresh, processors receive the best possible starting material for sugar production. Cane that is cut and loaded by machine invariably contains tops, leaves, stubble and roots, as well as soil, water, and other extraneous matter.
Deduction for trash in the delivered cane is a worldwide practice, but methods of trash determination vary widely. To judge the effect of trash, one should consider each fraction of the cane plant and its contribution of sucrose and of undesirable components. Juice from tops--including the stem tip, or soft, elongating joints as well leaf blades, sheaths, and rolls--contains less than 1% sucrose and is relatively rich in starch, soluble polysaccharides, and reducing sugars (Table 2.2). When tops (and dead leaves) are milled, these undesirable constituents are extracted and adversely affect sucrose recovery. Milled cane trash mixes with the crushed stalks, sponges up the richer stalk juices, and leaves the mill train with 3% sucrose . . . ."
At page 77 of Chapter 2 of the above-identified publication, at FIG. 5.26, there is shown a diagram of a French screw press (manufactured by the French Oil Mill Machinery Company) for use in processing cush-cush fiber. It is indicated on page 77 of the Meade and Chen Publication:
"The French screw press has also been used for one more extraction of bagasse from the last mill in several mills in Florida and Louisiana. The report from Osceola mill shows the arrangement in FIG. 5.28, and the analysis (Table 5.10) of juice and bagasse for two grinding seasons."
In FAO AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BULLETIN, No. 39, "small-scale cane sugar processing and residue utilization" by Issay Isaias, published by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome 1980, at page 35, it is indicated that cane tops and leaves are byproducts of the cane sugar industry and the general use is for animal feed. At paragraph 2 on page 36 of the FAO Publication No. 39, it is indicated:
"3.2.1 Cane Tops . . . The feeding system to be applied in the use of cane tops and leaves is important and deserves practical consideration with respect to feed intake and digestibility. Depending on the availability of other crop residues and molasses as liquid supplement, cane tops and leaves could be incorporated into a complete cattle feed in various ways and proportions . . . ."
The use of the screw press in extracting liquids from materials such as cotton seeds, copra, linen seeds, bagasse and the like, wherein the screw acts as a conveyor through a press cage, is set forth in detail in the following documents:
each of which patent is incorporated by reference herein.
However, nothing in the prior art discloses a process for producing tastands, including natural food additives comprising the sequential steps of:
whereby a natural food additive is separated and isolated from the remainder of said plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof. Furthermore, nothing in the prior art sets forth apparatus for carrying out such a process.